Puppeteer
by The Neon Catz
Summary: "It seems you've met with a terrible fate." (rated T for violence) .:NeonClan Monthly Writing Contest April 2016:.
**It seems you've met with a terrible fate.**

* * *

The Skull Kid. He was but a host—a puppet. An empty shell to be filled with a more... _powerful_ being.

Majora. It was a demon—a deity. A god among men, trapped within a pitiful mask.

"Skull Kid?" Majora contorted the child's body, facing the white ball of magic.

"What is it, Tatl?" Yes, that carefree and arrogant tone.

"When are we going to start?" the fairy asked.

"Yeah," the other fairy questioned, his purplish aura glowing even brighter. "I can't wait to start!"

"Just give me a minute, Tael," the boy said. "We just need to get everything in place."

* * *

Clock Town was bustling as ever. The Carnival of Time was in just three days. Of course, Link knew what was to come.

In three days the moon was to crash into the Clock Tower, killing everyone in Termina. And he knew exactly how it would happen.

Skull Kid. That imp was going to bring down the moon. He had to tell someone.

But no one would listen to Link. He was just a lost child, one who had managed to get lost upon leaving Hyrule. Who would even listen to a story as bogus as his, claiming that the moon would kill everyone? It's not like they would believe a Deku Scrub, a Goron, or a Zora either.

Especially not when the people he became were supposed to be dead.

No. He had to do this on his own. He had to get to the top of the Clock Tower as the sun rose after the third day.

* * *

"It seems our little performance is ready," Skull Kid cackled excitedly, rubbing his hands together. The one remaining fairy—Tael—drifted around his head, letting out little noises of anticipation.

"Let the show begin!"

* * *

 **Dawn of the Final Day: 24 Hours Remain**

* * *

Link climbed to the door leading to the top of the Clock Tower. It was finally time for him to face Skull Kid and save the people of Termina. Even if they never knew it was him how had saved them, it wouldn't matter. After all, this wouldn't be the first time he became an unsung hero.

This was it—the final battle against Skull Kid.

"Ah, I've been expecting you." He scowled furiously at the imp, hovering lazily above the top of the Clock Tower. "And guess who's been here waiting for you?"

Forcefully, Tael was jerked forward until he was just inches from Link's nose.

"Please, run." His tiny whisper was strained with the unbearable pain of Skull Kid's hold on him.

"Let him go, you monster!" Tatl screamed, advancing on Skull Kid.

"Not a chance," he replied mischievously. "Can't have my beloved actors go missing just before the big show, can I?"

 _What was he talking about?_ Link drew his sword, preparing to strike out against Skull Kid.

"It's showtime!" Throwing his hands into the air, Skull Kid grinned as waves of wiggly, reddish light came from the moon. Its terrifying grin grew even larger before finally its mouth opened.

Chaos stirred from below. Link dared to turn, watching in fear as the people of Clock Town ran around trying to escape the light. Their bodies went limp before being lifted into the air.

"Skull Kid," Tatl pleaded, "what are you doing?"

"Just collecting some props."

Link readied the Gilded Sword. _So this was Skull Kid's plan all along_.

"And of course, the star of our show."

Before Link could react, his vision went black and he fell to the ground.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the puppet show!" Link was jerked awake by the strange sounds coming from around him. Where was he?

Everything beyond the dim, reddish spotlight was a pitch black expanse.

A scuffling sound came from the darkness. Link willed himself to stand.

Anju? No. It wasn't her. It wasn't the Clock Town innkeeper.

There were red strings attached to her wrists. Her movements were all... _inhuman_.

"Now, we can't have our leading lad without his costume!"

 _What?_ A thick mask was slammed onto Link's face. His vision shifted to a reddish haze. Anju was no longer there—only a faceless puppet.

He lifted his sword—now the Double Helix Sword, glowing with its awesome power—before the body that masqueraded as his friend. It came closer to him, waving its stiff arms around like it was doing some sort of demented dance.

In one swift motion he brought down the sword onto its head, shattering the skull in a spray of white fluid.

The mask was lifted from his face. Before him was...

 _Oh God_ , he thought. Anju's limp body lay crumpled, her head a bloody mess on the ground. _What have I done?_

"Very good!" This was all Skull Kid's doing. "Now, who else do we have in stock?"

The clattering of wooden sticks came from all around Link. This was the strange sound he'd heard before. But there was something else too.

"Link!" He recognized that voice. It was Tatl. "They're not real! He's trying to trick you!"

The mask was brought back down onto the hero's face. Once more he was that terrible being of destruction. All around him were these emotionless, hollow puppets. Their limp and unnatural arms waved haphazardly, like they were trying to swing at Link.

"Is our hero afraid?" Skull Kid drawled condescendingly. "Go ahead—see what happens if they hit you."

Link had seen enough of Skull Kid's tricks. He knew that if they managed even a single blow it could well be end of this.

Letting out a deep sigh, Link readied the Double Helix Sword. If these puppets wanted a piece of him, then they'd have it.

* * *

It felt like it had been hours. Link had cut down just about every person in Termina. All but one.

"What a marvelous show that was!" Skull Kid descended to the floor, gliding over to Link.

But was it really Skull Kid? His entire body was just like one of those puppets, save for his mask—the Majora's Mask.

 _I see how it is_ , he thought to himself.

"Now for our grand finale!"

The lights all went up. Link was back in the same forest where he'd first run into Skull Kid. They were in a clearing, with light filtering through the thick canopy.

"Oh, this body has been so cumbersome," Skull Kid said, his voice deepening drastically. "Time for a costume change."

The imp's body went limp. Crackling red light emerged from his body, which jerked around as electricity was pumped through his veins. That damned mask hovered above his body, spouting legs and a head.

"No need to waste time with an unnecessary dance number," it snarled. "Let's just get on with the show."

Link ran at the mask—Majora—with his sword above his head. A blood red whip came from its hand, binding itself around Link's leg.

 _What the_ —

He was violently thrown around the clearing, slammed into trees and rocks until blood dripped from the gash at his temple.

Getting to his feet, Link fired sword beams from the tip of the double helix, sending shocks into Majora's wrath-infused body. It let out a terrible shriek of pain, blindly lashing out with one of its whips.

This time, Link's entire body was bound by the tendril, choking the air out of his lungs. He gasped for breath, attempting to slash at it with the Double Helix Sword. His weak blows did nothing to stop Majora from crushing his body.

Suddenly, it all stopped. Majora let up its grasp, allowing Link to take labored breaths. Before him, Tatl fluttered in front of Majora's face.

 _What is she doing?_ he wondered to himself.

"I thought you were our friend," she scolded, slamming her tiny body into its muscly face. Her harsh scolding soon turned to sobs. "I thought you would be there for us."

"You fool." She froze. A whip came around her delicate body, quickly crushing the life out of the fairy.

 _No!_

Link jumped to his feet, screaming in fury as he hacked away at Majora's body, severing its legs in one clean slash. He brought the Double Helix Sword above his head, stabbing the mask. A terrible shrieking noise echoed through the clear, dying down as deep red blood spurted from where the sword had penetrated the mask.

Majora was dead.

 _"Good job."_ Link froze. He and Majora had been the only ones in the clearing. _"You finally took care of the demon._

 _"Now, for a little something to say thank you."_

Link screamed as the mask burned into his face. His skin melted, sticking to the mask's wooden interior. All that power coursed through his veins.

 _"Fierce Deity."_

* * *

 **That probably made absolutely no sense if you've never played Majora's Mask. If haven't, please play or watch someone play it. It's a wonderful game. But enough of that. I hope you guys enjoyed my entry. Have a spectacular day!**


End file.
